The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for getting access to web sites via the Internet by a group of users.
It is known that users can retrieve information from World Wide Web sites (or web sites) via the Internet. The basic current model for retrieving information from web sites is a user initiated information searching. A person uses web browser software to request a web page from web server software to locate the information relating to that web page. Very much like finding desired Internet bulletin boards, the person seeking information actively searches for it. One of the unique features of this model is the notion of "hyper-text," or links, embedded in web pages that have been retrieved. This feature enables the person in search for information to "navigate" from one web page to another. The tremendous popularity of World Wide Web sites and Internet attests to the effectiveness of this model.
However, with the current model, the information search heavily depends on individual's knowledge, experience, skills, and expertise. Unless a group of people physically gathers around a single PC screen, the information retrieved from web sites is limited to the person who is navigating. If the information retrieved needs to be shared within a group of people, the person who has conducted the information search relays them the web page addresses that contain the information. The group of people then retrieve the information according to the web page addresses. Clearly, such an approach for sharing navigation experience and information among a group of people is slow, inconvenient, inefficient, and prone to errors.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a method and system that can propagate network navigation experience and information among a group of people.
To enable such navigation information propagation, there is a need for a method and apparatus that can set up a communication session among the group of people, who are geographically dispersed, with the features of convenience, efficiency, and flexibility.
The present invention meets this need.